


Letters

by junokoi



Series: Rivetra Week 2014 [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 14:23:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5629621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junokoi/pseuds/junokoi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Day 2 of Rivetra week some odd months, years ago.  Prompt: Letters</p>
            </blockquote>





	Letters

**Author's Note:**

> My old writing, don't judge to hard (or cry)

Day 2 #3

Letters

Petra shows what her letters to her father are like to Levi

__ ___ __

 

After the sun sets completely is only when Petra begins to write her letters.  She sits with two scented candles at the desk with the sound of crickets and burning wick.  It is peculiar to anyone really, but not to Levi.

Under the door he can see the light when he goes for coffee for nighttime reports.

But one night, he passed a darkened room.  First he did a double take.  He was tempted to look under the door, but it might open at any minute.  So walked past anyway, and opened the door to the dining hall.

Petra was sitting at the chair she did every day, two candles, ink, and a pen.  She smiled and straightened up, when he walked over with an empty coffee tray.  Silently, he set it down, and she took the responsibility into the kitchen.

Levi took a seat at the end of the table, and it was like the mornings they spent alone together just sitting with breakfast.  Again, he was a busybody and stretched his neck over to Petra’s things on the table.

“Corporal?”

He tried to sip a cup of coffee, but was met with nothing on the table.  He cleared his throat.  “Nothing.”

Petra set down the tray, and Levi used a hand to take the things he needed off.  Petra went back to her chair and held her pen, poised to continue writing.  When she didn’t move, Levi realized he had been staring, and blinked away.  She only smiled under her bangs and continued slowly while Levi sipped away.

“Are you curious, sir?”  She dipped her pen for more ink and looked up at him.

“No.  I’m not at all.”  She sighed, but kept a smile.

“But can I.. show these letters to you, sir?”

Levi looked at the letters, then at Petra before pouring himself more coffee.  “Hm.”

She herself invited her chair closer to his, and pushed her things to Levi before moving her over completely.  “Here,” she revealed more letters hidden under the one she was writing.  “These are written to my father in Wall Rose.”

Levi uncrossed his legs and leaned forward.  His elbows were on the table, but Petra didn’t care.

She continued explaining while he kept his gaze on the papers.

“And so, after a year, I still...

“...Are you there, sir?”

She had been rambling for a while now, and his coffee wasn’t strong enough.

“You were saying?”

Her face was like nothing even happened.  “And so, every other day-- or night-- after I finish the letter,” Her arms flailed above the table.  “I run alllll the way to the postal center.”  When had she begun gesturing?

“It’s open every hour.”

“Oh, no.”  She waved a finger.  “The postal soldier falls asleep at midnight, and he doesn’t check for new mail when he wakes up, and just leaves to deliver it.”

“Hmmm...”

“Troublesome, isn’t it corporal?”  Her dark circles seem a bit more evident, suddenly.

“You go by yourself?”

“You mean to the postal center?”

He hums behind his coffee.

She nods.  “The first time I went I tried banging on the door and yelling to wake him up,” She pinches the bridge of her nose.  “We shan’t speak of that night.”

“I could go with you to the center next time.”  Her eyes flash open.

“You would?”  She’s back to waving her hands.  “Oh, no!  You have reports, sir!  I couldn’t distract you from them.”  She looks at the ticking clock on the far wall.  “Even now, I’m keeping you from it.”

“It’s fine.”  He gets up with a grunt of an old man and holds the tray.  “You should go back to your room as well, Petra.”

“She shakes her head still smiling.  “I’m writing here today.  They say that you’re more likely to remember things at the place you learned them.”

They look at the table and chairs.  “I’m telling Papa about the squad.”

“I see.”

“I’ll turn in once I’m done with this letter, because it may be too late already.”  He checks the clock and turns around.  Petra dips her pen in ink, but is already startled.

“Petra!”

She jumps in her seat.  “Yes, sir?”

“Don’t catch a cold because it’s late.”  He says it like an order during an expedition.

“I’ll be careful, sir.”

And he walks away.

 

“You’re awfully talkative today, c-corporal.”

“I’m like this all the time, Eren.”

He puts his coffee down, and it’s too bitter for him.

Eren stands up.  “I’ll... be leaving now, sir.”  He doesn’t salute before running off and letting the door to the dining hall thud.

It echoes for a long time in the empty room, which he uses to hide a small whisper.

“ _ What did I learn here?” _

And the scent of candles and letters come back to him.


End file.
